CHICO — The Rogue Theatre lives up to its name with the opening of its latest show, "August: Osage County," opening today Dec. 6 and running through Dec. 15. This darkly comedic play by Tracy Letts premiered in 2007 and has been performed world-wide to rave reviews.

Director Joe Hilsee is enthusiastic about this play with a rich history. "I think this is a brilliant play," he said. "We're always looking for something that is intelligent, humorous, edgy. There's a certain flavor of plays we like to do at The Rogue Theatre. This play was a huge hit in New York when it came out in 2007. It won a Pulitzer and the Tony Awards that year, which doesn't happen often.

"No matter how well I know this play, when we work on a scene, there is usually something going on that I didn't recognize before," he said. "These are all well-developed, three-dimensional characters who are also terribly funny and terribly flawed. You put these people together and wonder how they will manipulate each other, lie or desperately seek confirmation from family members. It's a play that shows how families have that ulteriorly love that can never be broken."

The action for the 3-act play takes place over the course of several weeks in August inside the three-story home of Beverly and Violet Weston outside Pawhuska, Oklahoma. It centers on the waning days of a sharp-tongued addicted dying woman who is surrounded by eccentric lazy hangers-on revealed as various love-hate relationships unfold.

The play begins with Beverly Weston (Roger Montalbano), a once famous poet, interviewing Johnna Monevata (Nicole Collado), a young Native American woman, for a position as live-in cook and caregiver for his wife, Violet (Joyce Henderson). Violet suffers from mouth cancer and is addicted to prescription drugs and mood swings.

When Beverly is missing for five days, family members gather at the home to support Violet. When the Sheriff (Jesse Mills) brings news of Beverly's suicide to the family, the three daughters, their spouses and several others have to decide what to do about their mother. Things go downhill from there until the family is at odds with one another and unsavory relationships are uncovered.

The play ends with a quote from a T.S. Elliot poem, "This is the way the world ends."

The three Weston sisters are portrayed by Betty Burns, Delisa Friestadt and Amber Miller as Barbara, Ivy and Karen.

Natalie Valencia and John Duncan as Violet's sister and her husband, together with Sean Green as their son Charles, round out the unbalanced family.

"This is a long 3-act play with two intermissions," Hilsee explained. "It's a meaty, juicy wonderful play and mature audiences are suggested. The play doesn't pull any punches. There's a fun fascination watching these people, not destroy themselves, but deal with things that a family might face. Every scene builds on the last one. It's like watching a car crash."

The Rogue Theatre needed a multilevel space to house this play. It was found in a two-story warehouse with loft space and stairs located at 2145 Park Ave., Space 13, at the corner of Park and 22nd Street.

"This place is costing us a bit more," Hilsee said. "So we're going to have to raise ticket prices. It will still be the least expensive live theater in town. Tickets are $10 and only available at the door. No reservations."

For information, go to www.chicorogue.com for a map to the location of the improvised theater.